By: Chaudhry Shabbir Balochistani
Published By: ANI News Agency
In Balochistan's politics, many rise on slogans and are forgotten with time. But a few faces are remembered by the public because they did more than they said. Mir Saleem Ahmed Khosa of Sohbatpur is one of them. His personality combines the dignity of tribal tradition, a deep grasp of administration, and a clear vision for progress.
**A Political Inheritance, a Record of Service**
Mir Saleem Khosa belongs to the respected Khosa tribe of Mir Hassan village in District Sohbatpur, a tribe with a long history of hospitality, bravery, jirga leadership and loyalty to the homeland. He was not raised in an ordinary household but in an entire school of politics.
His late uncle, Mir Zahoor Hussain Khosa, was a towering name in Balochistan's parliamentary history. He was elected to the provincial assembly five times, served as Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly, and was counted among the senior leaders of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti's Jamhoori Watan Party. In the shadow of such a figure, Mir Saleem learned from childhood that politics is not a game of power but a trust held on behalf of the people.
**From the Village Lanes to the Halls of Power**
Mir Saleem Khosa began his political life in the villages and streets of Sohbatpur. He lived among the people and shared their joys and sorrows, and that closeness became his real strength.
In the 2018 elections, he won PB-15 Sohbatpur by a large margin on a Balochistan Awami Party ticket. The victory was more than a count of votes; it expressed the public's trust. On the strength of that trust, he was entrusted with the sensitive portfolio of Home and Tribal Affairs and PDMA. In a province where law and order and tribal disputes are major challenges, this is no easy office. From 2018 to 2023, he carried out the responsibility with patience, wisdom and excellent coordination. He was later given the Revenue portfolio as well.
In the 2024 general elections, he contested on the PML-N's lion symbol, secured 25,102 votes, and won once again. Today he is the PML-N's parliamentary leader in the Balochistan Assembly and, as Minister for Communications and Works and for Physical Planning and Housing, leads two key departments driving the province's development.
**His Vision: Build the Road, and Progress Follows**
Mir Saleem Khosa's philosophy is simple and clear: work, not slogans. He believes the path to Balochistan's development runs along its roads. When a road is built, schools become reachable, hospitals come closer, and doors to employment open.
This thinking shows in his projects: the emergency reconstruction of the Hana Urak crossing highway, washed away entirely in the devastating 2022 floods; the key highway from Sohbatpur to Kashmore; the historic project to dualize the Quetta-Karachi highway N-25; and the infrastructure for access to Gwadar and Reko Diq. Road projects worth roughly 27 billion rupees or more are included in this fiscal year's ADP.
He is equally clear on reform. He counts among his priorities equipping the C&W design wing with modern machinery and technical staff, computerizing revenue records to close the doors to corruption, and acting without discrimination against blacklisted contractors. His position is that development funds are a public trust, and every rupee should be visible on the ground.
**A Leadership That Connects**
Mir Saleem Khosa's greatest strength is his temperament. He is not rigid; he is approachable. He listens carefully to tribal elders and also understands the subtleties of the halls of Quetta. He has the dignity of a tribal chief and the precision of a modern administrator. In five years as Home Minister, his doors were never closed to anyone. In today's divided climate, this quality is the most valuable of all.
It is true that challenges remain. Backward districts like Sohbatpur still need attention on education, health and clean water. But solving these problems takes experienced, dignified and progressive leaders who can bridge the federation and Balochistan, government and people, tradition and modernity.
The PML-N should make full use of the abilities of statesmanlike leaders like Mir Saleem Khosa. Such people are Balochistan's true asset, and nations that value such assets are the ones that move forward.
